Mr. Clay to Mr. Seward

No. 110.]

Sir: Your despatch No. 199 is received, and put in the way of execution.

On the 4-16 of April instant, just as his Imperial Majesty was ascending into his carriage after his usual walk in the summer garden, where he goes usually alone, his life was attempted by the firing of a pistol in the hands of a person whose name and antecedents are yet unknown, though he was immediately secured. A peasant, lately liberated by the great act of his Imperial Majesty, from one of the interior provinces, named Ossip Ivanovitch Komissarow, had stopped at the gate of the summer garden to get a first sight of his liberator. He saw a man earnestly passing through the crowd towards, and at length aiming a pistol at, the Emperor. By a sudden blow Komissarow struck the arm of the assassin upwards, and the pistol ball failed of the mark, and was sent upwards into the air, and his Majesty was saved and the assassin seized.

The excitement all over the city and country, through Russia, and through all Europe, has been intense. Thousands of the people at once assembled at the winter palace, hurrahed till his Majesty showed himself again and again on the [Page 413] balcony. There they camped all night and the next day, renewing the demand to see the Emperor, and as fast as one vast multitude saw their much loved ruler, another succeeded. Twice I drove to the neighborhood of the palace. I never before saw a larger mass of people together, all intensely silent at the time, and looking steadily towards the balcony where the Emperor was expected to appear. And so continued he excitement, amid all ranks, till I suppose, successively, every man almost in St. Petersburg, from the Emperor’s brothers to the lowest workman, had seen their illustrious sovereign. Of course all the military and civil officers of the city called upon the Emperor, and so did the diplomatic corps and the representatives of the church. At a great assembly of the nobles at the palace, the Emperor in person returned his gracious and grateful thanks to Komissarow, and pronounced him a noble from that hour, amid the unanimous acclaim of all present. Addresses of congratulation have come in from all Russia and all Europe by telegram and post. The different “colonies” of foreigners here, and the Americans among others, have sent in their addresses to his Imperial Majesty, and all have been gratefully and graciously received and answered.

I expect to hear from our own land, which owes so much to Alexander the II, and shall wait impatiently to be the bearer of the words of emotion which fills the hearts of the millions of the great republic.

Your obedient servant,

C. M. CLAY.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.